The invention relates to an improved handtool and more particularly to a handtool having an axe blade and a knife blade which are alternately covered by a pivotally mounted sheath or cover.
The patent literature discloses a variety of tools usable as axes, hammers, knives or some combination thereof. For example, Williamson, U.S. Pat. No. 2,280,463 discloses a combination tool having an axe head and a knife having a pair of opposed side cheek plates swingably mounted on a pivot to sheath the blade and provide a hand grip for the helve of the axe head. Hayes, U.S. Pat. No. 3,581,326 discloses an underwater utility tool including a knife blade and a pick having a head portion. A handle assembly is provided to slide along the knife blade to the pick or hammer portion, thus alternately providing cover for each.
A variety of other tools usable as axes, hammers, knives or the like are disclosed in a number of U.S. patents, including Ivan, U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,783; Holtzscheiter, U.S. Pat. No. 83,499; Steinecke, U.S. Pat. No. 440,990; Truesdell, U.S. Pat. No. 2,559,689 as well as others. These and other devices suffer from one or more of several disadvantages or limiations. For example, many of the tools have detachable segments which must be removed or detached prior to changing the use of the tool. Other devices fail to provide a cover or sheath for one of the working blades, such as an axe head. Still other devices have a considerable number of moving parts or hinged portions which result in segments of reduced strength thus limiting the durability of the tool.
These and other limitations and disadvantages are substantially reduced if not eliminated by the present invention.